Slaphead session, North Mayo 16th Sept 2018

Hiya all

Went trekking again with a mate to a rock mark west of Belderg Harbour. Bit of a hike but it took us out of the wind and the place can only be fished in soft conditions.

Made is about 3:3- pm with a tide dropping to low water around 5 pm.

Decided to try mackerel on legers in close for the wrasse and I threw spoons out over the ledges for pollack into and around the white water (of which there was lots).
Took 20 minutes for the fish fish, a small pollack that I lost in the kelp in close. Not huge, never saw it.

Karl was getting Scottish Football Association on the other rod, so we decided to drop it out thirty or forty metres and to hell with the tackle losses.

Took another twenty minutes before I hooked into a slightly better pollack. This fell off into a rock pool below me as I was hauling it out, which was just as well.

Still nothing, and I mean barely even crab attacks on the baits. Baits were being swept into the rocks by the coming tide now and I had to vacate my low water spinning position. Ideal looking mark, tons of small mussels, limpets, lots of life in the rock pools, even long spined purple urchins which I have not seen in like forever...

On the plus side, we were suffering no tackle losses, a few near misses, but nothing major. But no bites. Weather started to close in, got hit by a nasty squall which was pulled down by the mountains, had a single gannet for company who didn't dive once (!), so eventually we packed it in and headed back.

Stunning place, watched a 20 metre waterfall dropping right into the sea under the mountain on the far side, but feck all fishing wise.

Only on the drive home that I put two and two together - very pale almost yellow pollack and no tackle losses = we were fishing over sand! Had not expected that.
Wrong tactics and wrong bait. Will know better the next time...

Still, I guess when you are trying out new marks, it is a learning process...

Sounds like a nice day out, pity about the lack of fishing, but you are certainly doing pioneering work in trying to figure out the mark. I love it, better fortunes next time.
Tight Lines

Rod Tips

Hiya all

Went trekking again with a mate to a rock mark west of Belderg Harbour. Bit of a hike but it took us out of the wind and the place can only be fished in soft conditions.

Made is about 3:3- pm with a tide dropping to low water around 5 pm.

Decided to try mackerel on legers in close for the wrasse and I threw spoons out over the ledges for pollack into and around the white water (of which there was lots).
Took 20 minutes for the fish fish, a small pollack that I lost in the kelp in close. Not huge, never saw it.

Karl was getting Scottish Football Association on the other rod, so we decided to drop it out thirty or forty metres and to hell with the tackle losses.

Took another twenty minutes before I hooked into a slightly better pollack. This fell off into a rock pool below me as I was hauling it out, which was just as well.

Still nothing, and I mean barely even crab attacks on the baits. Baits were being swept into the rocks by the coming tide now and I had to vacate my low water spinning position. Ideal looking mark, tons of small mussels, limpets, lots of life in the rock pools, even long spined purple urchins which I have not seen in like forever...

On the plus side, we were suffering no tackle losses, a few near misses, but nothing major. But no bites. Weather started to close in, got hit by a nasty squall which was pulled down by the mountains, had a single gannet for company who didn't dive once (!), so eventually we packed it in and headed back.

Stunning place, watched a 20 metre waterfall dropping right into the sea under the mountain on the far side, but feck all fishing wise.

Only on the drive home that I put two and two together - very pale almost yellow pollack and no tackle losses = we were fishing over sand! Had not expected that.
Wrong tactics and wrong bait. Will know better the next time...

Still, I guess when you are trying out new marks, it is a learning process...

Sent from my E6603 using Tapatalk

Sounded like a great place in the summer months now that you what to fish for ?
mickser

Hi Mickser

No, its good all the way through to November. Reckon there are lots of flats there, including megrim. Never got one, know they are caught further west...

K

That place is called geevraun and it will throw up flats.it was a trawling spot years ago.you are lucky to hit sand as by next winters storms it could change.very patchy sand in places but sounds like quiet clean goin to your report.might get down there in a few weeks..throws up dogs,plaice, ray etc...a good to meduim sized gurnard is no suprise there either.did you park at the pier and head around west from there is it

Yepm that's the spot.

Quite a hike, I stopped short of the serious ravine that means you have to take to the fields again.
The sand surprised me, so much so it didn't click until the drive home! hence slaphead...

Have you ever tried the east facing coast even further west but short of the mountain. There is a road out to some lonely farms there which would take a few klicks off the walk? Will definitely bring some worms with me the next day...

Cheers

Kieran

Yes kieran...ive tried nearly every rock mark in north mayo as i am from north mayo...lthe island is accessible...its a cross a mans land thou..lucky for me i know him...sand is harder to access the east side but.you can get lucky thou...you nust need the right weather for our coastline but when u get it right we are lucky to fish in depts ranging from 30 to 50 mtrs close in

Hi

Yes, I am aware of the depth. We hooked into some serious animals, almost certainly sharks, a few years back from a crazy ledge further west. Interesting about the sand and species. Would further along that bay towards the west from the point be useful, it be very sheltered in most conditions. Must be decent marine life down there...

Kieran